Dhas dagas synd gehatene LETANIAE, thaet sint, GEBED-DAGAS. On dhisum dagum
we sceolon gebiddan ure eordhlicra waestma genihtsumnysse, and us sylfum
gesundfulnysse and sibbe, and, thaet g['y]t mare is, ure synna
forgyfenysse.
We raedadh on b['o]cum, thaet dheos gehealdsumnys wurde ar['ae]red on dhone
timan dhe gel['a]mp on anre byrig, dhe Uigenna is gecweden, micel
eordh-styrung, and feollon cyrcan and h['u]s, and comon wilde beran and
wulfas, and ab['i]ton dhaes folces micelne d['ae]l, and thaes cynges botl
weardh mid heofonlicum fyre forbaerned. Tha bead se biscop Mamertus dhreora
daga faesten, and seo gedreccednys dha geswac; and se gewuna dhaes
faestenes dhurhwunadh gehwaer on geleaffulre geladhunge.
H['i] namon tha bysne dhaes faestenys aet dham Niniueiscan folce. Thaet
folc waes swidhe fyrenful: tha wolde God h['i] ford['o]n, ac h['i]
gegladodon hine mid heora behreowsunge. God spraec to anum w['i]tegan, se
waes Ionas geh['a]ten, "Far to dhaere byrig Niniuen, and boda dhaer dha
word the ic the secge. Tha weardh se w['i]tega afyrht, and wolde forfleon
Godes gesihdhe, ac h['e] ne mihte. Ferde dha to s['ae], and stah on scip.
Dhadha tha scypmen comon ut on s['ae], tha sende him God to micelne {246}
wind and hreohnysse, swa thaet h['i] waeron ['o]rwene heora l['i]fes. Hi
dha wurpon heora waru oforbord, and se w['i]tega laeg and sl['e]p. Hi
wurpon dha t['a]n betweox him, and baedon thaet God sceolde geswutulian
hwanon him thaet ungelimp become. Tha com dhaes w['i]tegan t['a] upp. Hi
axodon hine, Hwaet h['e] waere, odhdhe h['u] h['e] faran wolde? He cwaedh,
thaet h['e] waere Godes dheow, sedhe gesceop s['ae] and l['a]nd, and thaet
h['e] fleon wolde of Godes gesihdhe. H['i] cwaedon, H['u] do we ymbe dhe?
H['e] andwyrde, Weorpadh me oforbord, thonne geswicdh theos gedreccednys.
H['i] dha swa dydon, and seo hreohnys weardh gestilled, and h['i] offrodon
Gode heora l['a]c, and tugon fordh."
God dha gegearcode aenne hw['ae]l, and h['e] forswealh thone w['i]tegan,
and ab['ae]r hine to dham lande the he t['o] sceolde, and hine dhaer
['u]t-asp['a]w. Tha com eft Godes w['o]rd to dham w['i]tegan, and cwaedh,
"Ar['i]s nu, and ga to dhaere mycelan byrig Niniu['e]n, and boda swa swa ic
dhe aer saede." He ferde, and bodode, thaet him waes Godes grama
['o]nsigende, gif h['i] to Gode bugan noldon. Dha ar['a]s se cyning of his
cynesetle, and awearp his deorwyrdhe reaf, and dyde haeran to his lice, and
axan uppan his heafod, and bead thaet aelc man swa d['o]n sceolde; and
aegdher ge men ge dha sucendan cild and eac dha nytenu ne onbyrigdon nanes
dhinges binnan dhrim dagum. Tha, dhurh tha gecyrrednysse, thaet h['i]
yfeles geswicon, and dhurh thaet strange faesten, him gemildsode God, and
nolde hi ford['o]n, swa swa he ['ae]r tha twa burhwara Sodomam and
Gomorram, for heora leahtrum, mid heofonlicum fyre forbaernde.
We sceolon eac on dhissum dagum beg['a]n ure gebedu, and fyligan urum
haligdome ut and inn, and dhone Aelmihtigan God mid geornfulnysse herian.
We wylladh nu this godspel eow gereccan, the her nu geraed waes: "Quis
uestrum habebit amicum:" et reliqua. "Se Haelend cwaedh to his
leorning-cnihtum, Hwilc eower is the haefdh sumne freond, and gaedh him to
on middere nihte, and cwydh": et reliqua.
{248} Se halga Augustinus trahtnode this godspel, and cwaedh, thaet seo
niht getacnode tha nytennysse thisre worulde. Theos woruld is afylled mid
nytennysse. Nu sceal fordhi gehw['a] arisan of dhaere nytennysse, and gan
to his frynd, thaet is, thaet he sceal gebugan to Criste mid ealre
geornfulnysse, and biddan thaera dhreora hlafa, thaet is, geleafan thaere
Halgan Dhrynnysse. Se Aelmihtiga Faeder is God, and his Sunu is Aelmihtig
God, and se Halga Gast is Aelmihtig God; na dhry Godas, ac h['i] ealle
['a]n Aelmihtig God untodaeledlic. Thonne dhu becymst to dhisum dhrym
hlafum, thaet is, to andgite dhaere Halgan Dhrynnysse, thonne haefst dhu on
dham geleafan l['i]f and f['o]dan dhinre sawle, and miht odherne cuman eac
mid dham fedan, thaet is, dhu miht taecan dhone geleafan odhrum frynd the
the dhaes bitt. He cwaedh, 'cuma,' fordhan dhe we ealle sind cuman on
dhisum life, and ure eard nis na her; ac we sind her swilce wegferende
menn; ['a]n cymdh, odher faerdh; se bidh acenned, se odher fordhfaerdh and
rymdh him setl. Nu sceal gehw['a] fordhi gewilnian thaes geleafan thaere
Halgan Dhrynnysse, fordhan dhe se geleafa hine gebrincdh to dham ecan life.
We wylladh eft embe dhone geleafan swidhor sprecan, fordhan dhe dhises
godspelles traht haefdh g['o]dne tige. Se hiredes ealdor, the waes on his
reste gebroht mid his cildum, is Crist, the sitt on heofonum mid his
apostolum, and mid martyrum, and mid eallum tham halgum, the he on dhisum
life gefette. We sceolon clypigan to Criste, and biddan dhaera dhreora
hlafa. Theah h['e] ['u]s thaerrihte ne getidhige, ne sceole we fordhi
thaere bene geswican. He elcadh, and wyle hwaedhere forgyfan. Thi h['e]
elcadh, thaet we sceolon beon oflyste, and deorwyrdhlice healdan Godes
gife. Swa hwaet swa man eadhelice begyt, thaet ne bidh na swa deorwyrdhe
swa thaet thaet earfodhlice bidh begyten. Se Haelend cwaedh, "Gif he
dhurhwunadh cnucigende, thonne arist se hiredes ealdor, for dhaes odhres
onhrope, and him getidhadh thaes dhe he bitt, na for freondraedene, ac for
his unstilnysse." Thi he cwaedh, "Na for freondraedene," fordhan dhe n['a]n
man naere wyrdhe ne thaes geleafan ne dhaes ecan lifes, gif Godes
mildheortnys naere {250} dhe mare ofer manncynne. Nu sceole we cnucian, and
hryman to Criste, fordhan dhe h['e] wile us tidhian, swa swa he sylf
cwaedh, "Biddadh, and eow bidh forgifen; secadh, and ge gemetadh; cnuciadh,
and eow bidh geopenod." Aelc dhaera dhe geornlice bitt, and thaere bene ne
geswicdh, tham getidhadh God thaes ecan lifes.
He cwaedh tha odher bigspel. "Hwilc faeder wile syllan his cilde st['a]n,
gif hit hine hlafes bitt? oththe naeddran, gif hit fisces bitt? odhdhe
thone wyrm dhrowend, gif hit aeges bitt?" God is ure Faeder thurh his
mildheortnysse, and se fisc getacnadh geleafan, and thaet aeig dhone halgan
hiht, se hl['a]f dha sodhan lufe. Thas dhreo dhing forgifdh God his
gecorenum; fordhan dhe nan man ne maeg habban Godes rice, butan he haebbe
dhas dhreo dhing. He sceal rihtlice gelyfan, and habban hiht to Gode, and
sodhe lufe to Gode and to mannum, gif he wile to Godes rice becuman. Se
fisc getacnadh geleafan, fordhan dhe his gecynd is, swa hine swidhor dha
ydha wealcadh, swa he strengra bidh, and swidhor batadh. Swa eac se
geleaffulla man, swa he swidhor bidh geswenct for his geleafan, swa se
geleafa strengra bidh, thaer dhaer h['e] aeltaewe bidh. Gif h['e] abrydh on
dhaere ehtnysse, he ne bidh thonne geleafa, ac bidh h['i]wung. Thaet aeig
getacnadh hiht, fordhi dhe fugelas ne tymadh swa swa odhre nytenu, ac
aerest hit bidh aeig, and seo modor sidhdhan mid hihte bret thaet aeig to
bridde. Swa eac ure hiht ne becom na gyt to dham dhe he hopadh, ac is
swilce h['e] sy aeig. Thonne he haefdh thaet him behaten is, he bidh fugel.
Hl['a]f getacnadh tha sodhan lufe, seo is ealra maegna maest, swa swa se
hl['a]f bidh ealra metta fyrmest. Micel maegen is geleafa, and micel is se
sodha hiht; theah-hwaedhere seo lufu hi oferswidh, fordhan dhe heo bidh
['a] on ecnysse, and dha odhre twa geendiadh. We gelyfadh nu on God, and we
hopiadh to him: eft thonne we becumadh to his r['i]ce, swa swa he us behet,
thonne bidh se geleafa geendod, fordhan dhe we geseodh thonne thaet we nu
gelyfadh. Ure hiht bidh eac geendod, fordhan dhe we beodh haebbende dhaes
dhe we aer hopedon; ac seo lufu ne ateoradh naefre: nu is heo fordhi heora
selest.
{252} Seo naeddre is geset on dham godspelle ongean dhone fisc. On naeddran
h['i]we besw['a]c se deofol Adam; and aefre h['e] windh nu ongean urne
geleafan: ac seo gescyldnys is aet urum Faeder gelang. Se wyrm dhrowend,
the is geset ongean thaet aeig, is aettren, and slihdh mid tham taegle to
deadhe. Tha dhing dhe we geseodh on dhisum l['i]fe, dha sind
ateorigendlice; tha dhe we ne geseodh, and us sind beh['a]tene, hi sind
['e]ce: strece dhaerto thinne hiht, and anbida odhthaet dhu hi haebbe. Ne
loca dhu underbaec; ondraed the dhone dhrowend the ge['ae]ttradh mid tham
taegle. Se man locadh underbaec, the geortruwadh Godes mildheortnysse;
thonne bidh his hiht geaettrod mid thaes dhrowendes taegle. Ac we sceolon
aeigdher ge on earfodhnyssum, ge on gelimpe and on ungelimpe, cwedhan, swa
swa se witega cwaedh, "Ic herige minne Drihten on aelcne t['i]man."
Getimige ['u]s tela on lichaman, getimige ['u]s untela, symle we sceolon
thaes Gode dhancian, and his naman bletsian; thonne bidh ure hiht gehealden
widh thaes wyrmes slege.
St['a]n is gesett ongean dhone hl['a]f, fordhan dhe heardmodnys is
widherraede sodhre lufe. Heardheort bidh se mann, dhe nele thurh lufe
odhrum fremigan, thaer dhaer h['e] maeg. Thaet godspel cwaedh, "Gif ge
cunnon, tha dhe yfele sind, syllan dha g['o]dnysse eowrum bearnum, hu
micele swidhor wile eower Heofonlica Faeder forgyfan g['o]dne gast him
biddendum." Hwaet sind dha g['o]d the men sylladh heora cildum?
Hwilwendlice g['o]dnyssa, swylce swa thaet godspel hrepode, hl['a]f, and
fisc, and aeig. G['o]de sind thas dhing be heora maedhe, fordhan dhe se
eordhlica lichama behofadh thaes fodan. Nu ge, gleawe men, nelladh syllan
eowrum cildum naeddran for fisce, nele eac ure Heofonlica Faeder us syllan
thaes deofles geleaflaeste, gif we hine biddadh thaet he ['u]s sylle sodhne
geleafan. And dhu nelt syllan dhinum bearne throwend for ['ae]ge, nele eac
God us syllan orwenysse for hihte. And dhu nelt dhinum bearne syllan
st['a]n for hl['a]fe, nele eac God us syllan heardheortnysse for sodhre
lufe. Ac se goda Heofonlica Faeder forgifdh us geleafan, and {254} hiht,
and dha sodhan lufe, and dedh thaet we habbadh g['o]dne gast, thaet is,
g['o]dne willan.
Us is to smeagenne thaet word the he cwaedh, "Ge dhe sind yfele." Yfele we
sind, ac we habbadh g['o]dne Faeder. We habbadh gehyred urne naman, "Ge dhe
synt yfele." Ac hw['a] is ure Faeder? Se Aelmihtiga God. And hwilcera manna
Faeder is he? Swutelice hit is ges['ae]d, yfelra manna. And hwilc is se
Faeder? Be dham the is gecweden, "Nis nan man g['o]d butan Gode anum." Se
dhe aefre is g['o]d, he brincdh us yfele to g['o]dum mannum, gif we bugadh
fram yfele, and dodh g['o]d. G['o]d waes se man gesceapen Adam, ac dhurh
his agenne cyre, and deofles tihtinge, he weardh yfel, and eal his
ofspring. Se dhe synful bidh, he bidh yfel, and n['a]n man nis on l['i]fe
butan sumere synne. Ac ure g['o]da Faeder us geclaensadh and gehaeldh, swa
swa se witega cwaedh, "Drihten, gehael me, and ic beo gehaeled; geheald thu
me, and ic beo gehealden."
Se dhe g['o]d beon wile, clypige to dham the aefre is g['o]d, thaet he hine
g['o]dne gewyrce. Se man haefdh gold, thaet is g['o]d be his maedhe: he
haefdh land and welan, tha sint g['o]de. Ac ne bidh se man g['o]d thurh
dhas dhing, butan he mid tham g['o]d wyrce, swa swa se witega cwaedh, "He
aspende his dhing, and todaelde dhearfum, and his rihtwisnys wunadh ['a] on
worulde." He gewanode his feoh and geihte his rihtwisnysse. He gewanode
thaet he forlaetan sceal, and thaet bidh geiht thaet thaet he habban sceal
on ecnysse. Thu herast dhone mancgere dhe begytt gold mid leade, and nelt
herigan dhone dhe begytt rihtwisnysse and heofonan rice mid brosnigendlicum
feo. Se r['i]ca and se dhearfa sind wegferende on dhisre worulde. Nu berdh
se r['i]ca swaere byrdhene his gestreona, and se dhearfa gaedh aemtig. Se
r['i]ca berdh mare thonne he beh['o]fige to his formettum, se odher berdh
aemtigne pusan. Fordhi sceal se r['i]ca daelan his byrdhene widh thone
dhearfan, thonne wanadh he dha byrdhene his synna, and dham thearfan
gehelpdh. Ealle we sind Godes thearfan; uton fordhi oncnawan tha dhearfan
the us biddadh, thaet {256} God oncnawe us, thonne we hine biddadh ure
neoda. Hwaet sind tha dhe us biddadh? Earme men, and tiddre, and deadlice.
Aet hwam biddadh h['i]? Aet earmum mannum, and tiddrum, and deadlicum.
Butan tham aehtum, gelice sind tha the dhaer biddadh, and dhadhe h['i]
aetbiddadh. H['u] mihtu for sceame aeniges dhinges aet Gode biddan, gif dhu
forwyrnst dhinum gel['i]can thaes dhe dhu foreadhelice him getidhian miht?
Ac se r['i]ca besihdh on his paellenum gyrlum, and cwydh, 'Nis se loddere
mid his taettecon m['i]n gel['i]ca.' Ac se apostol Paulus hine nebbadh mid
thisum wordum, "Ne brohte we n['a]n dhing to dhisum middangearde, ne we
n['a]n dhing heonon mid ['u]s laedan ne magon."
Gif r['i]ce w['i]f, and earm acennadh togaedere, gangon h['i] aweig; nast
dhu hwaedher bidh thaes r['i]can w['i]fan cild, hwaedher thaes earman. Eft,
gif man openadh deaddra manna byrgynu, nast dhu hwaedher beodh thaes
r['i]can mannes b['a]n, hwaedher thaes dhearfan. Ac seo gytsung is ealra
yfelra dhinga wyrtruma; and tha dhe fyligadh thaere gytsunge, h['i]
dweliadh fram Godes geleafan, and hi befealladh on mislice costnunga and
derigendlice lustas, dhe hi besencadh on forwyrd. Odher is thaet hw['a]
r['i]ce beo, gif his yldran him aehta becwaedon; odher is, gif hw['a] thurh
gytsunge r['i]ce gewurdhe. Thises mannes gytsung is gewreht widh God, na
dhaes odhres aeht, gif his heorte ne bidh ontend mid thaere gytsunge.
Swilcum mannum bebead se apostol Paulus, "Bebeodadh tham ricum thaet h['i]
ne modigan, ne h['i] ne h['o]pian on heora ungewissum welan; ac beon h['i]
rice on godum weorcum, and syllan Godes dhearfum mid cystigum mode, and God
him forgylt mid hundfealdum swa hwaet swa he dedh tham earman for his
lufon."
Se r['i]ca and se thearfa sind him betwynan nyd-behefe. Se welega is
geworht for dhan dhearfan, and se dhearfa for than welegan. Tham spedigum
gedafenadh thaet he spende and daele; dham waedlan gedafenadh thaet he
gebidde for dhane daelere. Se earma is se weg the laet us to Godes rice.
Mare syldh se {258} dhearfa tham r['i]can thonne he aet him nime. Se
r['i]ca him syldh thone hl['a]f dhe bidh to meoxe awend, and se dhearfa
syldh tham r['i]can thaet ['e]ce l['i]f: na h['e] swa-dheah, ac Crist,
sedhe thus cwaedh, "Thaet thaet ge dodh anum dhearfan on m['i]num naman,
thaet ge dodh me sylfum," sedhe leofadh and rixadh mid Faeder and mid
Halgum Gaste ['a] butan ende. Amen.